Lilacs from the Dead Land
by Akaluan
Summary: Erich's been in hiding his whole life, pretending to be a normal human when he's anything but. A Quincy with magecraft, a mage with Quincy powers, and unable to reveal one without risk of exposing the other. Still, he survived the Great War and died of old age in a foreign country. But now there's another Quincy, flaunting their powers before the Reapers, and Erich... worries.
1. Chapter 1

This is a newer AU spawned on my tumblr (where there is actually a lot of drabbles and rambling covering... many, many aspects of this AU and the subsequent OTHER AUs that were spawned off of this one) that I've been spending some time writing up. Like with the Werewolf AU, I make no promises on update schedule.

Technical details and some events are pulled from the light novels, but appearances, names, and MOST events are pull from the Saga of Tanya the Evil anime. So Erich's last name is von Rerugen, he has black hair and that ridiculous anime haircut, and he was the one who stopped Tanya from taking things too far when she was training recruits and threatened one for insubordination.

If you'd like to take a look at what else I've written for this AU, head over to my tumblr (username is akaluan) and do a search for things tagged with "bleach/tanya"

Enjoy!

* * *

Erich carefully shaved off another sliver of wood, then ran his thumb over the spot to judge the smoothness. The wood was still rough enough to catch a bit on his calluses; perhaps another few slivers and the spot would be better. He preferred to have the piece as clean as possible before he gave it a quick polish with the pumice-cloth he kept on hand.

"Awww, I broke it!" the young girl at his side exclaimed.

Erich glanced over to see Mia pouting down at the broken pieces of wood in her off hand, his small knife held carefully in her other. He smiled faintly and set his own carving down, sheathing his knife and holding out his hand, palm up. "May I?"

When Mia dropped the pieces in his hand, he nodded his thanks and set about examining them and the shape she had been carving. He really couldn't tell what it was supposed to be, but that didn't matter; what mattered was determining how it had broken so he could teach Mia what to look for in the future.

"Ah, here, look," Erich told her, holding out the larger piece and pointing just to one side of the break. "See this? Your knife bit too deep right here and weakened the whole area. You were also starting to carve it too thin, and probably managed to apply pressure in just the wrong way."

Mia's little face scrunched up in thought, and the girl leaned in closer to peer at what Erich was pointing out. "How do _you_ get it so thin, then?" she asked, edging closer so she could get another glimpse at the carving he'd set aside.

"Practice," he informed her dryly. "I've broken plenty of pieces, especially when I was learning. I still do, at times. Sometimes it just can't be helped, I'm afraid."

"Why can't it be helped?" Mia carefully set the little knife down atop the wall they were sitting on, then held out both hands to take her carving back from him. "If you get good, then you're good, right?"

Erich handed the pieces of wood back, then said kindly, "Everyone can make mistakes, no matter how practiced they are. No one is perfect."

She huffed and wrinkled her nose at him, saying with all the seriousness a child could muster, "That's no fun. What's the point of growing up, then?" Before he could respond, Mia dropped from her perch and landed on the ground with a _thump_ , grinning up at him and waving. "I'm going to go play. Have fun breaking things!" she told him cheerfully.

Erich shook his head in amusement and tucked the little carving blade back into its sheath, then picked up his own piece and considered it. The horse wasn't _entirely_ correct — the head was a bit misshapen, and the mane wasn't more than a short, notched ridge — but it was horse-like _enough_. It also needed a bit more work, but that shouldn't take too long.

He glanced up at the sky to estimate the time, then unsheathed his knife and went back to work. There was still time before noon, and, if he tried, he could probably have the horse finished before he needed to meet up with Ren to see what work they needed done this afternoon.

The sun was warm on his back as he concentrated on the carving, smoothing out the last few spots he could get with his knife, then switching to his pumic-cloth to gently sand away the last few rough patches. It was peaceful work, even with the attention he was drawing by sitting on a common area wall and carving. Most of the adults let him be, and the children were more interested in their games than in pestering him for more than a moment or two.

An adult approached and stopped a meter or two away, watching him in silence. Curious, Erich spared a brief glance, then returned to work; Kyou, Mia's mother, was neither threat nor bother, and he already knew why she was waiting. He gave the carving one last polish with the pumice-cloth, then set the cloth aside and gave Kyou his attention.

"Thank you for indulging my daughter, Rerugen-san," Kyou said, inclining her head. "She's always been a curious one, especially of newcomers."

"Curiosity is healthy, and Mia's a lovely girl, bright and eager to learn," Erich told Kyou seriously. "It was no trouble."

"Still, thank you." She held out a rough sack to him, saying, "Please, take this. I know Ren-san is likely to have you helping them all afternoon."

"Ren-san does enjoy making me work," he acknowledged with a faint smile. He leaned forward and accepted Kyou's gift, holding out the carved horse in return. "Here, for Mia. I know she wanted a new toy, so…"

"Ah, you shouldn't have, Rerugen-san," Kyou demurred, before reluctantly accepting the figurine when Erich arched an eyebrow and leaned forward a bit more. "I know she'll love it. Thank you."

"You're welcome." He dropped the short distance to the ground and gave a shallow bow. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I should be seeing what Ren-san has for me to do."

"Of course, of course. Tell them hello for me, will you?"

"I will." Erich scanned the top of the wall to be sure he hadn't forgotten anything, tucking the pumice-cloth back in the small pouch he kept it in. He hadn't left anything else out, though, so with a final nod to Kyou he turned and set out.

He checked Kyou's gift as he walked, and his stomach rumbled hungrily at the sight of several pieces of fruit. Breakfast had been far too long ago, and Kyou was right; Ren _was_ likely to have him working most of the afternoon. With that in mind, Erich pulled out one of the fruits and bit into it, eating as he moved.

It was difficult, limiting himself to just the one, but it was best that way. People noticed it less if he spread his meals out throughout the day.

(There were also fewer questions. Fewer chances that his strength would be discovered.)

(Reapers weren't the only ones interested in powerful souls, they were just the most dangerous to him.)

People greeted him as he passed, but otherwise let him be; at this point, everyone in the village knew that his afternoons belonged to Ren and the various odd jobs that Ren did. It was fascinating how welcoming this district was compared to the more distant ones. If not for the threat of Reapers discovering his heritage, Erich could see this village becoming something like a home to him.

He finished off the peach and dropped the stone back into the sack, then stopped at one of the public wells to wash his hands and chin free of the juice that had spilled. He was still hungry—

(He was always hungry. He'd learned to ignore it.)

—but at least his stomach wasn't cramping. And Ren would insist that he eat the rest of what Kyou had given him during his breaks.

Erich shook the water from his hands and reoriented himself. He could sense Ren not too far away, their minor power standing out against the background of powerless souls that made up most of the village. Ren's signature was calm and open, and Erich had no difficulty following it down a small side street to where Ren was waiting.

Ren stood next to a small handcart, directing a gaggle of teenaged souls to collect various tools and supplies. As Erich approached, Ren's attention turned towards him, and they gave Erich a gentle smile. "Rerugen-san. Would you be willing to help us gather some wood? Tomomi-kun found a large tree that was downed, and another hand to chop it up would be appreciated."

"Of course," Erich agreed, then added, "Kyou-san sends her greetings."

"Ah, you were helping her this morning, then? Thank you, for that and for helping us with this," Ren said with a nod, before gesturing to the cart beside them. "You can set your lunch with mine while we get the last of this organized."

He did as Ren suggested, setting down the sack then moving around the group, lending a hand with whatever the teens needed. It didn't take long to get the last of it organized; this was clearly something the group had done before, but having another adult to help _did_ make some of the preparations easier, especially when it came to making sure some of the small handcarts were ready for a trip into the woods.

"Do we have everything?" Ren asked, scanning the group questioningly. They nodded in approval as the teens answered with a chorus of agreement, then took hold of the cart they had claimed and said, "Very well, then. Off we go."

Erich kept pace at Ren's side as the group headed out of town, led by Tomomi. The younger teen led them carefully through the crop fields and then into the small forest beyond, always checking to be sure he hadn't lost anyone. Finding a path in the forest was more difficult, and more than once Erich needed to step forward to help clear a path for the rest of the group to travel through.

It didn't help that the forest was littered with Hollow-sign: traces of power lingering here and there, claw marks on trunks, even the occasional track left in the leaf-litter. Erich wished he had more tracking experience, if only to have a better idea how long ago some of the signs had been left. The power, at least, was fragmented enough that the Hollow likely hadn't been by in the past week.

(Dare he hope the Reapers had done away with it?)

"Here it is!" Tomomi announced proudly, scrambling up the side of a massive, downed trunk and grinning down at the group. "I toldya it was big!"

Ren chuckled and let go of their cart, beginning to pace the length of the trunk. "So you did, so you did. This is quite the find, thank you, Tomomi-kun."

"Yeah!" Tomomi cheered, following Ren as they moved down the trunk. "How much do you think we can take, Ren-san? Is it enough? Should I be looking for more trees?"

"We won't be able to take it all today," Ren said as they ducked under a few branches and knocked on the trunk, head tilted to listen to the noise it made. "But it doesn't seem rotten, so I'm certain we'll be made to make use of much of it." They smiled up at Tomomi and offered their hand to help the teen down. "This will keep us in wood for quite a while, so you can keep an eye out while foraging, but you don't need to go out of your way to find anything for a few weeks."

Erich circled around the base of the trunk while Ren was talking, grimacing at the sight of torn up ground and shattered wood. This deadfall wasn't a natural one: something had actually attacked the tree and sent it tumbling to the ground.

(Hollow. A Hollow had been here.)

He knelt to examine the claw marks, estimating the length and depth of the marks and trying to get a feel for the beast's size. Not terribly large, Erich decided after a moment. Just a regular Hollow, not a Menos or worse, and probably partially bipedal like a bear.

"Rerugen-san? … Ah. I see," Ren said as they approached, pulling Erich from his examination of the marks with a start. Ren's expression was even but for the tightening around their eyes as they scanned the area. "A beast has been lingering the past few weeks, coming and going, though so far it has not approached more than the outskirts."

"It hasn't?" Erich asked warily. He pushed himself to his feet and brushed the dirt from his hands, scanning the surrounding area with his eyes and his senses. "That doesn't seem… normal."

Ren grimaced and looked away, deeper into the forest, and said softly, "We are not the only village nearby with empowered souls living within it."

Erich's breath caught in his throat, and he turned to follow Ren's gaze. There was nothing to see but trees, of course, and even less to sense; most Rukongai souls with power were barely strong enough to be sensed within the boundaries of their village, much less from a distance like this.

(Assuming, of course, that any remained alive at this point.)

"Come," Ren said abruptly, turning away and gesturing back towards the carts. "There is much to be done before dusk falls."

Erich spared one last look in the direction Ren had been staring, then followed them back to where the others were working. There was nothing to be done about the Hollow, or about the village beyond the woods, and if he was lucky a Reaper had already taken care of the Hollow.

(It wasn't his concern. It wasn't.)

He threw himself into the work, into chopping and hauling and stacking the carts full one after the other. It was hard, mindless work, and it worked well to keep his thoughts from the knowledge that a Hollow hunted these woods.

Except for when Ren shooed him aside for breaks, insisting that he rest and eat before resuming work. _Then_ Erich couldn't help but think on it, on a village being hunted and another being spared. On how both his and Ren's presence here in the woods was likely endangering Ren's village.

(He couldn't let that happen. He _wouldn_ _'t_.)

His preoccupation meant it took him far too long to notice that Ren had been slipping food into his bag during _their_ breaks. He hadn't counted how many things Kyou had given him, but he _was_ certain she hadn't handed him any plums. He caught Ren's eye and arched an eyebrow at them, holding up the plum in his hand.

Ren gave him a small smile, finished sawing off the branch they were working on, then handed their saw to one of the teens and approached.

"Really, Ren-san?" Erich asked quietly when Ren reached his side.

They examined his face for a moment, then inclined their head. "Mami will have my hide if I don't make sure you eat," Ren told him with amusement, before their expression turned more serious. "We both know what hunger looks like, Rerugen-san. Please do us the courtesy of accepting what we can provide."

He hesitated, then had to look away from Ren as they continued to watch him. It felt strange, having people care about his well-being, especially near-strangers. Ren and Mami hadn't know him for longer than a couple days, and already they'd decided he was worth their time.

(He wasn't. He wasn't, could never be, but he couldn't find it in him to deny them.)

Instead of answering, Erich took another bite of the plum, still unable to meet Ren's gaze.

"Thank you, Rerugen-san," they murmured gratefully.

(He didn't deserve their care.)

(He couldn't turn them away.)

( _Monster._ )

* * *

The trip back to the village was faster than the trip out, the path already cleared and marked. Erich lingered towards the tail of the group, his own power locked beneath his skin and his skills focused on carefully absorbing the traces of his and Ren's passage.

He refused to leave behind a trail that the Hollow could use to hunt Ren down.

It was dusk by the time they made it back to the village, all of them dirty and tired and glad to be back. Some of the teens began to drift away from the group as soon as they crossed the village boundary, and Erich couldn't blame them. It had been a long afternoon, and all of them were feeling it.

"Just leave it all here for the evening," Ren directed the small group that remained, gesturing towards the little yard where they had gathered. "We'll divvy it all up to the common stores tomorrow morning. Off with you now." They shooed the teens away, an amused smile on their face as the other souls gave weary laughs and scrambled off, then shouted after them, "And be sure to clean yourselves up!"

Erich huffed a laugh and brushed a stray piece of hair out of his face, tucking the strand behind one ear. He eyed the collected wood, then the sky, then moved to begin unloading one of the carts; there was still enough daylight left to get a bit done, so—

Ren's hand grabbed his arm before he could take more than a step towards the cart he had chosen. "No, Rerugen-san. _We_ are to clean up as well. Mami is certain to have dinner waiting for us, and it's best not to keep her waiting, hmm?"

He hesitated, but let Ren guide him away. "I'll bow to your wisdom on that."

"Good, good. As you should." Ren kept their hand on his arm, guiding him through the streets and into the bathhouse. Only then did they let go, shooing him on while stepping up to the counter. "Go, get clean, and do try not to fall asleep in the tubs this time?"

"One time, Ren-san. That was _one time_ , after _someone_ had me out all day harvesting fruit."

"Hmm." Ren arched an eyebrow at him and said, "And who was it who told me he could assist, and then didn't remember to tell me he was a soul who required food?"

Erich looked away from Ren's steady gaze and muttered, "It slipped my mind."

"Of course it did," Ren graciously agreed, voice soft. "Now off with you. I'll wake you up if you fall asleep once more."

He shook his head and went, not willing to argue any further.

In the (relative) privacy of the changing room, Erich stripped down with relief, setting aside his dirtied clothing and boots; Ren was likely to have everything laundered here, given how dirty they'd gotten while chopping up the tree. Then, he reluctantly unclasped the chain that held his computation orb around his neck and set it, and his glasses, in the small basket he'd been given for them and handed it all back to the attendant.

He felt odd without his computation orb against his chest, but the village was safe enough, _kind_ enough, that it was a small risk.

(No one here would steal from him.)

(No one here would attack him.)

Erich set to washing himself clean, exhaustion making him slow. But it didn't matter; Ren wasn't hurrying either, so they weren't on too strict of a timeline.

Once clean, he moved into the room with the soaking pools and slipped into one of the hottest baths, across from the couple who had also chosen this one. Erich leaned his head back, let his eyes slip closed, and relaxed into the warmth. Soft conversations reached his ears, little more than a gentle susurration that lulled him into a peaceful daze.

His muscles ached from the labor; even after all these years in the Rukongai, wood cutting was still one of the more difficult tasks he tended to be given. Not every village asked it of him, and he rarely needed to expend the effort while he traveled between them, so he'd never built up the stamina for it.

"Falling asleep on me?" Ren asked quietly as they slipped into the water near Erich.

Erich let his head loll to the side and cracked open his eyes, carefully keeping his gaze on Ren's face. "No."

"Ah, of course not, forgive the presumption. You're only mostly asleep," Ren said with a soft chuckle, stretching and settling deeper into the water until their nose was almost submerged.

Erich scoffed and closed his eyes, slipping a bit deeper himself as he let his mind empty. Public bathing would never be a favorite of his, but he couldn't deny how comfortable the baths were, especially after a day of work.

He drifted.

The next thing he knew, Ren's hand was on his shoulder and they were speaking softly, "Rerugen-san. Rerugen-san, come along, it's time we were going."

Erich snapped back to himself with a jerk, blinking up at Ren then swiftly looking away. "Right. Sorry."

"Hmm." Ren studied him as he rose from the bath, then turned to leave as Erich scooped up his towel and wrapped it around his body. "Be sure to eat your fill tonight. You more than earned it with your work today."

"If you insist," Erich agreed cautiously. He wasn't foolish enough to turn down the offer, but it still felt like taking advantage of their good nature.

"More importantly, Mami will insist," Ren said with a smile. They approached the attendant and accepted two bundles of clothing, handing one of them to Erich as he approached.

Erich grimaced at the clothing, but still toweled himself dry and got dressed without complaint. It was looser than he preferred, designed for relaxation instead of work, and the amount of skin left exposed was… uncomfortable compared to his usual attire. But it was still clean and dry, and he could put up with it for the short span of time left in the day.

The attendant handed him the basket with his glasses and orb, and Erich took it with a nod of thanks. He put his glasses on, then scooped up the computation orb and clasped the tarnished chain around his neck, trying to tuck the red jewel beneath his shirt. The chain, however, was too short; it worked well with his usual, high-collared clothing, but not with the looser top the bathhouse had provided.

He felt exposed with the orb out in the open for all to see, announcing his skill with magecraft, but he didn't trust himself to carry it any other way. Not with how tired he was.

Erich followed Ren out of the bathhouse and through the streets, gaze on the ground. He'd never gotten the hang of walking with backless footwear, much less the style of sandals that most Rukongai citizens seemed to prefer. It always felt like he was on the verge of losing them, or tripping and falling to the ground.

It was a relief to step into the house behind Ren, to toe off the accused sandals and replace them with the (marginally) acceptable house slippers.

"Tadaima, Mami!" Ren called as they stepped into the main room.

"Okaeri, Ren!" Mami greeted her partner with a pleased noise, sweeping in to brush a kiss over Ren's lips, before turning to give Erich a considering look. She sighed in exasperation and tilted her head to give Ren a _look_. "I see _someone_ is nearly dead on his feet again."

Ren smiled and raised their hands in defeat. "I took him to the bathhouse, rather than drag both of us back home covered in sweat and forest litter."

"And I thank you for that consideration," Mami agreed. She shook her head and beckoned for Erich to follow. "Please, Rerugen-san, come and have a seat. Ren warned me of what they planned to do this afternoon, so I have plenty of food ready."

"You don't need to do so much," Erich half-heartedly protested. He followed Mami to the table, then settled on the cushion she had set out for him. "I know the two of you don't require much—"

"Enough of that," Ren interrupted him as they set several bowls on the table. "We both enjoy cooking, and having an appreciative audience is a joy. And we're not in a position of hardship, nor will feeding you what you need put us _into_ such a position. Trust us to know our own limits of hospitality, please."

"Ren is correct." Mami set out the last of the dishes and gestured for them to dig in as she sat next to Ren. She gave him a soft smile, reminding him, "Take what you _need_ , Rerugen-san. We promise to tell no one."

She watched Erich with a steady gaze as he began to serve himself, and only looked away when he'd taken more than Ren. Erich resigned himself to their care as he had for the past few days with them, and began to eat carefully.

(He knew all too well the cost of feast after famine. He knew to temper his appetite.)

(Their kindness still seemed a miracle.)

He ate in silence, listening to Ren and Mami speaking about the day. They lingered over their food, leaning into one another and trading stories and quiet jokes, so clearly in love that it was painful.

He missed that: the easy camaraderie and care, the trust, the _contact_.

(He missed it so much it _hurt_.)

There was nothing he could do about that, Erich reminded himself sternly. Here in the Rukongai, surrounded by strangers, the only relationships he could build would be based on lies. Unless, that was, he wanted to expose himself as a Quincy Mage; a dangerous proposition given the Reapers' opinion of all Quincy. And even if he didn't, even if he built a relationship on lies, just staying in one place would drag powerless or mostly-powerless souls into danger by his mere presence.

(If a Hollow didn't someday destroy him, the Reapers would discover his existence.)

(And then another Purge would begin.)

Erich shook his head to clear it out, then set his emptied bowl aside, covered a yawn, and made to rise, planning on helping his hosts clean up before he turned in for the evening.

"Leave it, Rerugen-san," Mami told him sternly, turning from her conversation and giving him a smile to soften her words. "You're dead on your feet, and have done plenty for us today. Go rest, we can take care of everything else."

Erich hesitated, feeling like he was taking advantage of their kindness, then gave in when both of them gave him a look. "Thank you, Mami-san, Ren-san," he murmured as he rose. "Sleep well."

"You too," they both responded.

He made his way to the spare room he'd been given and closed the door behind him with a sigh of relief. Silence settled over him as he crossed the few steps to his futon and set about preparing it; he was exhausted, his stomach was full, and sleep sounded like a blessing.

Erich fell into bed as soon as it was prepared, tugging the blanket over his body and curling up beneath it.

He was out like a light soon after.

* * *

Erich woke with a start, lunging from the futon and spinning to take in the shadowy room around him. The world was cloaked in darkness, blurry and indistinct and _dangerous_ , his instincts _screaming_ —

A Hollow roared.

He swallowed and shifted his stance to face the direction he could sense the beast in. His right hand _flexed_ , sparks of power dancing over his fingertips before he squashed his instincts and absorbed the power he'd gathered.

(Not now. Not here. He _couldn_ _'t_ , not so close to the Reapers and their stronghold.)

(The Hollow would only unmake his soul.)

(The Reapers would destroy _everyone_.)

Erich pressed a hand to his chest and started to count his breaths. He lifted his chin and dug his nails into his skin and pulled on every ounce of restraint he'd learned in the theatre of war.

The Hollow roared again, hungry and lost and _furious._ His mind settled, stilled—

( _gunpowder-blood-ash-smoke-screams-roars_ _…_ _**No!**_ )

—and he exhaled. Gave himself a shake. Made certain his personal power was carefully tucked away beneath his skin.

The beast was beyond the village, in the forest. It was not a threat.

 _It was not a threat_.

(Hollows were to be destroyed in defense of humanity. It was the Quincy way.)

(He was a coward and a traitor.)

(He was a monster worse than a Hollow.)

Erich settled back on the futon, knees drawn up to his chest and arms wrapped around his legs. In the room just beyond, Ren and Mami's faint signatures cringed inward in a futile attempt at hiding. They had neither the experience nor the skill to mask themselves as he did, but surely, _surely_ it wouldn't matter. Surely their strength was too faint, too insignificant for the Hollow to bother with.

(But it would. In this village of souls, there were so _few_ with power…)

(Hollows always went for the strongest first.)

His hands trembled, the taste of bile creeping into his mouth the longer he sat and listened, straining to hear anything beyond the roars of a beast on the hunt. He wouldn't hear anything, he _knew_ he wouldn't, but he couldn't keep himself from trying.

Had he failed at erasing their trail? Was there enough left for the beast to track Ren back into the village? Was the beast even intelligent enough to track, or would it remain around the highest concentration of power and hope its prey returned?

(He could kill it. He could _end this_.)

(He would expose this village as containing a combat-capable soul not under the Reaper's control.)

(Dare he risk it?)

Indecision paralyzed him, even as time ticked by and the Hollow roamed unopposed. He couldn't make his limbs unlock, couldn't gather the strength to rise and fight.

Surely, surely a Reaper would arrive to purify the beast. If this was the same one Ren had mentioned, it had been roaming the forest for weeks. That was time enough to become aware of the issue.

If they came, he wouldn't _need_ to force his limbs to work, to force himself to cast aside the mantra _burned_ into his mind by both Quincy history and the Great War: 'hide in plain sight'.

But the Reapers didn't come.

The roars trailed off. The darkness faded into the predawn half-light. The Reapers didn't come.

Shame curdled his stomach, and Erich pressed his face into his arms and tried to ignore the hot tears that ran down his skin.

(These villagers had been nothing but kind to him, and this was how he repaid them.)

(Monster.)


	2. Chapter 2

Mami came to fetch him when the sun cleared the horizon.

She knocked on the door and called his name, voice gentle and a touch concerned, but he couldn't muster the energy to respond. Even the quiet sound of the door slipping open wasn't enough to pull him up.

"Oh, Rerugen-san," Mami murmured, her steps light as she crossed the room and knelt next to the futon. Her hand settled on his shoulder, a warm weight that he wanted desperately to lean into, but forced himself to not. "I'm sorry. We should have remembered, last night…"

The sorrow in her voice cut deep, and Erich bit back a grimace as he lifted his head to stare blearily in her direction. "Remembered..?"

"That you, too, have reason to fear," she said, hand tightening a bit on his shoulder. "We should not have left you alone like that."

"It's fine, I didn't expect you to—"

"It is _not_ fine," Mami insisted, free hand coming to rest on his bare elbow as she leaned in a bit, kindly not mentioning his shudder at the touch. "That was unkind of us; being alone while one of those beasts hunts is horrible."

Erich gave an awkward shrug and let his head drop back onto his arms, too drained to argue with her. "It's not like being with others is any safer."

"No," she agreed. "But it does allow us to sleep in turns. And if we can't, at least we have company. It makes everything… less terrifying, I think, to not be alone."

(Did it? He'd forgotten if that was true…)

"Mami..?" Ren's quiet voice asked from the doorway. "Ah."

Erich winced at the sound of Ren's voice and tried to make himself smaller; he was supposed to help them, to trade labor for a place to stay and food to eat, and instead he was barely awake and still frozen in place. And even if Ren and Mami thought it a result of fear rather than self-loathing, it still left him a useless burden.

"Whatever self-deprecating thing is going through your head right now, that's enough," Ren told him firmly as they crossed the room to kneel in front of him. "There will be little work for any of us today, especially those of us with powers."

A confused noise slipped out before he could stop it; surely there would be _more_ work to be done, in the wake of a Hollow attack?

"There won't be," Mami confirmed, her thumb rubbing warm, soothing circles on his arm that lingered like a brand on his skin. "The Shinigami didn't come last night, so the chances of the Hollow returning are high. Those of us with any hint of power keep to ourselves on days like this."

"It helps some," Ren said with a shrug. "I don't know how the outer districts deal with it, but we've found that it keeps the Hollows from finding us as easily."

Erich scowled into his arms at Ren's words. That the whole village had survived enough encounters with Hollows to have a _strategy_ … what were the Reapers doing? He'd thought it would be better, closer to the Reaper's stronghold, but instead he was finding it… very similar.

"Do they ever come? The Shinigami, I mean," Erich asked warily, lifting his head enough to peer blearily between Ren and Mami. He wished he had his glasses on hand to better see their expressions, but he'd left them off and, unfortunately, out of his reach.

But he could see enough to spot the glance Mami and Ren shared, followed by the way Ren tilted their head away and left the explanation to Mami.

Mami sighed, her shoulders drooping as she spoke, "They come occasionally, but they are often busy. Weak Hollows like the one last night are… unlikely to be dealt with for a few days."

Ren made a noise of disgust and shook their head. "They're always busy," they muttered grumpily.

"Ren," Mami warned her partner.

They huffed but subsided, and Erich tilted his head to look at Mami in confusion. He'd never seen Ren so openly frustrated by something before, although he could certainly understand their stance.

"Ren's… lived here longer than I have," Mami admitted after another glance at Ren. "They've seen this more than I have."

(Oh.)

(How many had Ren lost to the Reaper's disinterest?)

"Enough," Ren said in resignation, not meeting either of their gazes. "Let's get some breakfast. Can you rise, Rerugen-san?"

Erich hesitated, flexing his legs and wincing at the pain. He'd been locked in one position for far too long, too lost in his own mind to keep his muscles active. "I… don't think so," he admitted.

"It's alright," Ren murmured. They reached out, coaxing him out of his huddle and helping him stretch his frozen limbs. "Just take it slow. We're in no hurry today."

He grimaced and breathed through the pain, then let Mami and Ren pull him to his feet. They held him steady as his legs cramped and his knees tried to buckle, keeping him from falling back to the ground and supporting his weight as he tried to take a step. Mami didn't step away until Erich was steady on his own, then carefully pulled away to retrieve his glasses and hand them to him.

Erich accepted them with a murmured thanks and set his glasses in place, blinking tiredly as his eyes adjusted. Testing his legs with slow steps, Erich moved away from Ren and gave a wan smile at their watchful gaze. "I'm fine, now," he told them both. "Tired, but I'm fine."

Ren looked skeptical, but gestured for him to lead the way. "Then to breakfast with all of us. A good meal is a comfort after a night like the last."

He went, following Mami out of his room and down the hall to the main room where the table had been set. Erich took his usual place at the table and accepted the bowl of soup that Mami offered him, staring tiredly at it and attempting to dredge up the will to eat.

Ren's words aside, he _wasn_ _'t_ hungry, just… numb. Exhausted beyond the ability to feel the hunger that he knew should be gnawing at his stomach at this hour. Not eating would come back to haunt him later, but for the moment he couldn't bring himself to care.

"Eat what you can," Mami insisted, pulling Erich's attention to her. "Please? Even if only a few sips."

Erich looked back down at the soup in front of him. He wanted to say no, to say he wasn't hungry, that he would be fine. But they cared for him, _worried_ about him, and… he didn't want that, that worry, that _concern_. Not when there were other, more important things they should be focused on.

(They didn't deserve another piece of stress atop everything else.)

(After all their kindness, he didn't want to do that to them.)

So he picked up his spoon and began to eat slowly. He still didn't feel hungry, but the soup was warm and easy to eat, and Ren and Mami didn't seem to mind that he was taking longer than them to finish even part of his breakfast.

They ate in a comfortable silence, like they were _family_ instead of host and guest, and Erich hastily ate another spoonful before he could make a fool of himself and say something he would regret.

(Like asking to stay. To be more than a temporary guest in their home.)

(The skin of his arm still burned where Mami had touched him.)

"We'll be spending the day doing some chores we've been putting off," Ren said, setting aside their empty bowl.

"I can—"

"You," Ren interrupted Erich firmly, their expression stern, "can give me the clothes you have that need mending, and then you can stay with me in the main room and rest unless I need you to fetch me something."

Erich grimaced. "I'm not _that_ tired," he argued. "Surely there's something you need my help with."

"Fetching and carrying, and precious little of that," Ren said, setting aside their empty bowl and giving him a kind smile. "Take the rest day, Rerugen-san, you've more than earned it."

He glanced at Mami, but she only nodded in agreement before she rose and moved around the table to his side. "Come, Rerugen-san. Let's gather things for Ren to repair, while they arrange the room so they can work."

"You don't have to do this," Erich muttered. He climbed to his feet and winced, rubbing at his thigh as his legs protested the movement. He really needed to stretch or move around more, but he was just so _tired_ that he couldn't muster the will to care.

"Ren enjoys mending and sewing," Mami said kindly, watching him with her hands poised to catch him if he fell. Once she was certain he wouldn't, she turned and led the way towards their rooms. "We're limited to chores such as this anyway, so it's no hardship to add your clothing to the stack. I'll be preparing food for storage most of the day, myself."

She left him at his door and continued on to the room she shared with Ren, leaving Erich to gather his clothing in peace. It didn't take long to gather it all up; nearly everything he owned needed at least some mending, Erich knew. He'd done what he could, but he'd never been particularly skilled with a needle and thread.

Mami met him in the hallway, arms full of clothing, and gave his small stack a considering look. "Is that everything?"

Erich nodded, walking down the hallway towards the main room. "Yes. I don't… really have that much," he admitted with a shrug. "Clothing takes up space, and I don't often stay in a village long enough to get more made, unless necessary."

Ren looked up from setting out their supplies, then crossed the room to accept the bundle of clothing from him even as Mami moved past to set hers down on the floor. "Thank you, Rerugen-san," Ren told him, moving back to settle on one of the large, flat pillows they'd set out. They gestured towards another not too far away and said, "Please, sit with me."

He dropped to sit where Ren had indicated, stretching out his legs with a tired sigh and leaning back against the wall. "I'm not going to be much use," he reminded them. "I'm not… very good at sewing."

"I can tell," Ren told him dryly, holding up one of his shirts and examining the awkward stitches he'd used to patch it. "It's no matter. Sit and keep me company while I work, please?"

"I…" Erich grimaced and let his head rest against the wall, rubbing at his eyes. He could already feel his exhaustion creeping in and dragging him down. "Ren-san, if you let me just sit here, I… I'm going to fall asleep."

"Then sleep." Ren paused to give him a knowing look. "Mami and I will likely nap throughout the day as well. Rest all you need, we'll be here."

Their words shouldn't have been comforting; Erich wasn't even certain why the promise of 'being there' _was_ a comfort. It wasn't like Ren could do anything to protect him, strong as they were. They couldn't guard his sleep, not the way he _wished_ someone could, but still…

The soothing sound of Ren's soft humming quieted his mind. The rhythmic noises of their work lulled him into a trance.

He was asleep before he realized it.

* * *

Erich woke with a start, jerking upright and attempting to orient himself as a blanket fell from his shoulders to pool around his legs. His hand pressed against his computation orb, mana pooling in his channels, a defensive spell on the tip of his tongue—

His vision was blurred— where were his glasses, he didn't remember taking them off— didn't remember falling asleep— _where was he_?

"Rerugen-san, Rerugen-san, it's alright. You're safe," Ren's calm voice filtered through his panic and he blinked and stared at their hazy form. "You fell asleep in the main room, which is where you still are. Mami made you more comfortable and took your glasses off so you weren't sleeping with them on. Here."

He squinted at Ren's outstretched hand, then cautiously accepted his glasses from them. It was a relief to see clearly, and he scanned the room to see what had changed. Ren had clearly been working for a while, with everything rearranged around them and Erich's clothing folded into a neat pile within arm's reach of where he'd been sleeping.

Even the sunlight was coming from a different direction, and Erich stared blankly at the slanted beams. It had been a long time since he'd slept so much, or so deeply, in the presence of others.

(Less than a week, and already Ren and Mami held his trust.)

(He couldn't stay much longer. He _couldn_ _'t._ )

(Oh how he wanted to.)

"Here," Ren said, leaning over to set a bowl of fruit slices and a cloth napkin close to his side. "Mami brought these out for us while you were asleep."

Erich picked up the bowl and settled it in his lap, considering the slices of fruit that filled it. He didn't know how much he could eat, despite his nap and the edge of hunger he was feeling, but he wasn't particularly interested in actually starving.

(He walked a fine enough line even without missing meals. He didn't need to make himself worse.)

He chose a piece and began to eat, ignoring the glimpse of Ren's pleased expression that he caught before they turned away. The silence between the two of them was comfortable, with Ren further sorting the stacks of clothing around them and Erich slowly making his way through the bowl of fruit. The only one missing was Mami, but he could sense her faint signature nearby, soft and even with sleep.

"Where's Mami-san?" he asked.

"Right here," Ren replied, lifting an arm and leaning back so Erich could see past them. Mami was curled on her side, head resting against Ren's leg and arms wrapped around a pillow. "She ran out of energy about an hour ago, I think it was."

Erich watched Mami sleep, then dragged his gaze back to Ren, taking in the tired lines across Ren's face and the exhausted cast to their body language. "And yourself?"

Ren smiled softly and ran a hand through Mami's hair. "I'll nap after Mami wakes. We take turns during the day just like at night, on days like this."

He ate another piece of fruit to cover his hesitation, wondering if Ren would accept _him_ as the one awake.

(Why would they trust a vagabond like himself?)

(Still…)

"I could stay awake," Erich offered quietly, gaze focused on his hands as he wiped them clean, unwilling to see Ren's immediate reaction to his offer. "If you wanted to nap, I mean."

Silence met his offer, and Erich looked up to find Ren watching him with a thoughtful expression. When they caught his gaze, they said, "Don't feel obligated to offer. We left you alone last night, and that was unkind of us. You don't need to repay us anything—"

"It's not— I don't feel obligated," Erich interrupted, shaking his head and carefully folding the cloth napkin into smaller and smaller squares. It wasn't even entirely a lie; he wanted to return their kindness in whatever way they'd allow, and staying awake and on watch after a nap was no hardship. "Both of you have been nothing but kind, no matter what you insist, and I'm awake now. It seems… wrong to force you to remain awake if you'd rather be asleep."

Ren hummed and set aside the shirt they'd been folding. "If you're certain."

"I am," Erich replied with as much confidence as he could muster.

"Then I accept your offer," Ren said decisively, leaving Erich staring at them in surprise. They reached out and gently grasped his hands, stilling his fingers on the napkin. "We trust you, Rerugen-san, we simply don't wish to impose on you too much. You already do so much for us without complaint, and we'd prefer not to take advantage of your good nature."

"It's not taking advantage," Erich said with a frown, flexing his fingers and trying to ignore the warmth of Ren's hands around his own. "You're allowing me to stay for free. If anything, I'm taking advantage of _you_."

Ren made a small noise of discontent, mouth pinching into a thin line and hands tightening around Erich's. "Then let's agree that neither of us are taking advantage of the other, and simply accept the kindness offered?" they asked, reluctantly releasing Erich's hands as they did.

Erich nodded, even as he reconsidered their conversation and tried to determine what had bothered Ren about it. _Was_ he taking advantage of Ren and Mami and Ren was just too polite to protest? He didn't know, only that _something_ had annoyed Ren.

"Good. Then I'll hear no more of how you are taking advantage of us," Ren said sternly, giving Erich a look that had him raising his hands in defeat. Satisfied with his reaction, Ren moved their supplies and the stacks of clothing back, then stretched and laid down, curling around Mami as they did. "Thank you, Rerugen-san. Don't be afraid to wake either of us if you need anything."

Erich looked away and focused on finishing the fruit he'd been given. Ren and Mami made a peaceful image together, content and so in love that in hurt to see.

(He'd had that, once.)

Ren's breathing evened out, along with their spiritual signature, and Erich relaxed. He rose from his seat and padded into the small kitchen, setting the empty bowl aside and cleaning his hands while he had a look around.

Mami had been busy while he was asleep, Erich mused. The bowl of food scraps was full to overflowing, things were waiting to be washed, and sealed jars lined the far wall. He glanced back at the door to the main room, then rolled up his sleeves and set to cleaning as quietly as he could.

He let his mind drift as he worked, mulling over the night before and what Ren and Mami had told him. The Hollow had been weak, but even a weak Hollow was dangerous to those who couldn't defend themselves. The villagers had no way to protect themselves from a Hollow attack, not even those like Ren and Mami who had some spiritual power.

The Hollow would return. He knew it would.

Mami said it would not be dealt with for days. Days of danger and hiding out. Days of the tense fear that lingered in Mami's eyes and pulled the corners of Ren's lips downward. Days of helplessness and waiting for rescue.

(He could end it. Protect the village and those he cared for.)

Erich ran out of things to clean in the kitchen and drifted back to the main room. He did what he could in there, too, cleaning and organizing and keeping busy while trying to remain quiet. There was a restlessness in his soul that he couldn't sooth no matter how much he moved, an urge to _fix things_ that only grew worse the longer the day dragged on.

Ren and Mami slept, but not peacefully. Ren's expression remained drawn. Mami's hands held tight to Ren's kimono. Their signatures remained laced with fear and unease.

(He hated it. With every fragment of his soul, he _hated it._ )

(No one should know such ever-present fear.)

He finally forced himself to settle, fetching a knife and a piece of wood from his room and sitting near the other two, intending on whittling. He had nothing in mind, just let his hands do what they would and tried to keep his thoughts from dwelling on the Hollow and what he _should_ be doing.

(It wasn't particularly effective.)

By the time Mami stirred and woke, Erich was wound tight and barely able to focus, carving forgotten and knife still, staring blankly out a window. Her movements grabbed his attention, and his head jerked towards her.

Mami yawned and pushed herself upright, stretching and rubbing at her eyes. She scanned the room and smiled brightly when she spotted Erich. "Feeling better, Rerugen-san?" He nodded and she gave a pleased noise, then glanced at the room again. "You cleaned while we slept? You didn't need to, but thank you very much."

Erich shrugged awkwardly, uncertain what he could say. "I was restless," he settled on, hoping she wouldn't take his words the wrong way. "I needed… something. Beyond this," he clarified, holding the misshapen carving up between two fingers. It didn't really look like anything except a mess, and he resolved to toss it instead of trying to salvage something out of it. "I needed something active."

Mami hummed and nodded, gently disentangling herself from Ren and rising to her feet. "I understand, trust me. Are you hungry? I could start dinner, and we could make an early night of it."

"I could eat," Erich reluctantly agreed, sheathing his knife and rising to follow Mami from the main room and into the kitchen. "Do you… need anything?"

"You could keep me company," she suggested, gesturing towards an out-of-the-way spot where he could stand.

Erich settled against the wall where she'd indicated. "If that's all…"

"Your company is more than enough," she told him with a smile, then set about gathering the things she needed. "Has Ren told you about the time they were followed home by a little deer?" She laughed when Erich shook his head, then said, "Well then, I'll tell you!"

He couldn't help the faint smile at Mami's cheerful voice and silly story of Ren trying to chase away a young deer any way they could.

(This. He would do anything to keep this.)

(No matter what the cost.)

* * *

"Are you sure, Rerugen-san?" Ren asked, lingering in his doorway. "There's no shame in wanting company—"

"I'll be fine," Erich answered. "Trust me, Ren-san. Now that I'm aware of the Hollow, I'll be fine."

Ren's expression turned skeptical. "If you are refusing out of modesty, or because you feel you have no place with us, please reconsider. Not being alone _helps_ , Rerugen-san."

"I know." He didn't. Decades of hiding had worn away his memory of kinder, safer days. "If it becomes too much, I'll come to you." He wouldn't. The moment he turned to them for comfort was the moment he would lose his will to leave.

(Was the moment he invited danger into their lives.)

"See that you do," Ren told him, their gaze piercing. "Our door will remain open for you."

Erich inclined his head and quietly prayed that neither Ren nor Mami would check on him throughout the night. He didn't know what he would do if they did that.

It wasn't until he heard Ren's quiet footsteps retreating down the hall that Erich relaxed. He quietly slid his door closed, then returned to the small window in his room that overlooked the little back garden that Mami kept. Erich settled in to wait, hands carefully relaxed at his sides and power coiled beneath his skin.

The Hollow's signature grated against his senses, lingering on the edge of the village, stalking its prey.

(Killing this Hollow would do nothing but postpone Ren and Mami's fate.)

He shouldn't help. They were neither family nor Quincy, held no ties to him but of host and guest. Once he resumed his wandering, he would likely never see them again, no matter how long they lived.

He should leave in the morning. Head in a different direction. Ignore the Hollow and continue on with his (coward's) life.

Erich swallowed and pressed a hand to the frame of the window, leaning in to stare up at the sky. It was still so light out, so easy to see the world around him. Anyone could spot him if he left now.

(He couldn't be seen. Hide in plain sight. Do not act out of the ordinary.)

(Sneaking out a window was hardly ordinary.)

It was torture to wait for darkness to fall while the Hollow hunted. Light lingered in the sky long past the time he felt it should have gone, taunting him with every moment that passed.

Counting his breaths kept him calm, distracted him from the way the shadows slowly crawled across the ground like spilled ink. The rhythmic action settled his mind; there was no room for doubt or questions, only the purpose he'd given himself.

(They didn't deserve to live in fear. No one did.)

(A Quincy's duty…)

(A _friend_ _'s_ duty.)

Erich began to pry open the window when darkness settled and hid the world. His limbs felt leaden and his hands trembled against the window frame, fingers weak and grip uncertain. The urge to enhance himself with mana was strong, but Erich scowled and bit it back; he doubted Reapers knew how to track magecraft, but he'd rather not tempt fate.

Licking dry lips, Erich squeezed through the open window as soon as he could fit, bare feet hitting the cool grass without a sound. He settled into a crouch and strained his hearing, searching for any indication he'd been spotted already. But the world was silent, everyone huddled within their homes and trying to ignore the danger outside.

He crept through the shadows, staying low and stepping carefully, filtering out the minor pain of walking barefoot outside. Every noise made him freeze to reassess, scanning the world around him to find the source. Every pause felt like an eternity. All that existed was the next step. The next breath. A nightmare that would never end.

(Was he the hunted or the hunter?)

(He'd forgotten long ago.)

Erich froze the instant he crept around a final corner and saw _fields_ instead of buildings. He set a hand on the wall behind him, body trembling at the sight and a cold sweat freezing his limbs.

(No turning back. No unmaking this choice.)

(The only way was forward.)

He rose to his full height, scanning the area with his senses. He could sense no one, even within the nearby houses, and he was far enough away from Ren and Mami that they _should_ be safe…

Erich flexed his fingers and rubbed at his hands, trying to massage some feeling back into his numb fingers. He couldn't afford to continue his slow, creeping progress. The Hollow was too far away. Too quick on its feet. It would be morning before he could approach.

He needed his powers.

The cold metal edge of the computation orb dug into his skin when he pressed a hand to it. Metal that quickly heated as he fed a thin thread of mana into the orb itself. Even this minuscule drop of power turned him into a beacon for those searching for it; mana was not a subtle power, even used internally. It could not be hidden, could not be disguised.

But for all that, it was the better power to use. It was the power of the mind, not the soul, and marked him only as a mage to those who could sense it.

Which was good. It gave him an out, a way to hide himself in plain sight.

(A way to pretend to be what he wasn't.)

Erich took a deep breath and concentrated, _remembering_ what a Reaper felt like and feeding that into his mana. His orb grew hot against his skin, traces of crimson light seeping through his shirt and illuminating his hand. Circles and calculations expanded in his mind's eye, the spell he'd painstakingly built over decades coming to life around him. It settled across his body and sank just beneath his skin, locking in place like a door slamming closed.

He cringed and dropped his hand away from the orb, scratching at his arm. His lungs strained for air. He felt restricted, trapped in an invisible vice. Unable to breath. Unable to move.

The spell was like wearing a uniform sizes too small and badly laundered. It bound his limbs and seized his breath and _itched_ like he'd walked through nettles. But it was useful even so, hiding his very nature under the guise of _Reaper_. Erich doubted it would hold up under close scrutiny, but he wasn't under close scrutiny. He just needed to keep any traces of _Quincy_ from being scattered about, and this would do that.

A careful series of mana-enhancements blurred the edges of discomfort, numbing his body and providing oxygen to his straining lungs. Erich stretched, trying in vain to settle into the spell, and took a cautious step forward.

The world didn't waver, didn't threaten to tilt around him, and his next step was more confident. And the next. And the next. Until he was striding across the dark fields and his discomfort faded from his awareness.

All that existed was his goal. His purpose.

(He wouldn't let this beast threaten his friends again. Never again.)

Erich bolted, fragments of hirenkyaku carrying him on. Mana pushing him further. Defensive membrane shimmering to life across his skin.

His rifle manifested, slung over one shoulder. A comforting weight.

(He would purge the beast from existence.)

He didn't pause as he approached the beast. Just unslung his rifle and fed mana into it, which pooled within the inscribed formulae. Violet light shimmered over the rifle and spilled into the air, leaving a trail in his wake.

(It couldn't be helped. Even the best magic-rifles bled mana, and _his_ was only a construct.)

Shooting the beast was out of the question. Not so close to the Reapers and their strange reliance on weapons of the past. But that was alright. He had a bayonet for a reason.

The Hollow spun to face him.

( _Purify._ )

It _grinned_ , teeth long and jagged and bone pale in the moonlight.

( _Purify. Not destroy._ )

Erich braced himself. Leapt into the air. Ducked below a wild swipe.

His rifle flared brighter, drawing the Hollow's hungry gaze. The beast swung again, mouth opening to roar, and Erich _struck_. He drove the point of his bayonet into the beast's mask, right between its eyes. The gathered mana _exploded_ outward, bound inextricably with his twisted spiritual powers, and flooded the beast before it could react.

(A Reaper's Purpose, co-opted by a Quincy. Purification instead of destruction.)

The Hollow _screamed_ , mask shattering like glass, and _struck_. Claws skittered across Erich's defensive membrane, tearing his clothes but leaving his skin untouched.

(Quincy and Hollow were Anathema, each destroying the other in turn.)

He darted back, landing heavily and swaying in place. Lungs straining for air. Focus on the Hollow as it dissolved, its captured souls fleeing.

(But mana was the power of the mind, and the mind was a tricky thing.)

Erich lowered his rifle with a sigh and let it fade away. He reached out with his twisted powers, gathering what traces of himself he could and reabsorbing it. It was like trying to grasp fine wire with heavy gloves, but he had patience. Patience and an interest in muddling his presence as much as possible.

There was nothing he could do about the mana that lingered in the air. Expended mana could not be reclaimed; it had to fade on its own, and there was nothing he could do to speed it along.

He retreated a couple more paces, collapsing back against a broken wall, and rubbed at his eyes, praying that no one would come to investigate so soon. He needed to return to the house before dawn came. Before Ren or Mami attempted to check on him.

(He hoped they hadn't already tried…)

(He just wanted to curl up and hide away.)

Erich grimaced and straightened his glasses, then tried to orient himself. There was no point in retracing his path out, not when the beast had already been in the village. He just needed to be sure nothing could be traced back to his friends.

Gathering his spiritual powers tight within his soul, Erich ended the spell on his nature. It _shattered_ like the Hollow had, crimson mana wafting from his body like steam, and he slumped to the ground in relief. He pressed a hand to his chest and dragged careful, deep breaths into his straining lungs.

He hated that spell. Hated the phantom ache it left behind, like he was once more an old man. But it was the only way he knew to hide and still be able to fight. The only way he knew to keep the Reapers from discovering a Quincy had been doing the impossible.

(Quincy could only destroy. Everyone knew that.)

(They had been hunted nearly to extinction for that very fact.)

Erich carefully pushed himself to his feet, bracing himself against the wall as he did. His vision wavered, head swimming at the change, before finally steadying. He ran a hand through sweat-damp hair and stared blankly in the direction of the house, of _safety_.

(He should have just gathered his things and ran. Killed the Hollow and fled in turn.)

(He didn't want them to worry…)

He could make it back. He'd traveled further while feeling worse.

Erich took a breath. Pushed away from the wall. Took a step, then another, legs steadying as he walked and mind settling into numb acceptance. He hoped no one had been drawn by curiosity at the beast's death-scream; he was in no state to creep back to the house. The best he could do was slip through the deepest shadows and try to remain alert.

It was going to be a long trip back.


	3. Chapter 3

Ren and Mami were standing and waiting just outside their door in the predawn light, expressions concerned as they scanned the streets.

The sight of them made Erich freeze and brace himself against a wall, hoping that the lingering shadows would be enough to hide his presence. No one else was stirring beyond their homes yet and he'd expected Ren and Mami to be the same. He'd expected them to be relieved at the Hollow's death and to fall into exhausted slumber because of it.

(He shouldn't have returned.)

(No. That was… wrong. Wasn't it?)

Mami spotted him and hurried to his side, Ren following in her wake. "Rerugen-san, you're safe," she breathed in relief, scanning him for injuries as she approached. Her brows furrowed and she reached out, hand hovering a short distance from where the Hollow had struck. "Oh! Are you—did it..?"

"I'm fine, Mami-san." Erich took her hand and pressed it to the tears in his shirt and the unwounded skin beneath. "It missed." It hadn't missed, but his armor had been stronger than its strike.

(He was too tired to want to explain…)

Her lips pinched together at his words, worry painting her expression as she gave him another once over. "Come, let's get you inside," she said as Ren slipped between him and the wall. "You need to rest."

Erich said nothing as Mami took his free side and the two of them brought him into their home, just kept his head down and let them take his weight. He'd pushed himself too far on too little food and now he was paying the price.

He shouldn't have gone after the Hollow. He should have just left.

(His insides twisted at the thought.)

( _Coward. Monster._ )

"Mami," Ren said sharply as Mami disentangled herself and let Ren lower him to the floor by themself.

"Right. Give me a moment and I'll have something for you to eat."

Erich winced and rubbed at his temple, trying to dispel the dizziness that had struck. "It's fine. I'm fine. I just—"

"You are _not_ fine," Ren snapped. They sat at Erich's side and gently took his hand, holding it up between them so they could both see the way it trembled. " _This_ is not fine. You haven't been eating nearly enough, have you."

He pulled his hand from Ren's grip and clenched it into a fist, trying in vain to quell the tremors. His pride _stung_ at Ren's words, but there was no denying the truth. Not when his entire body was beginning to shiver. Not when the dizziness meant it was easier to lean against Ren and let them support him.

Ren sighed and reached over, brushing his bangs away from his face. "We worry for you, Rerugen-san," they murmured, taking his hand in theirs again and pushing up his sleeve enough to expose his wrist. Their warm fingers settled over his pulse, eyes closing as they assessed him. "You are going nowhere today," they decided after a minute. "You will rest, eat as much as you can, and do nothing more strenuous than that."

"I can't. I can't afford to stay—" Erich held up his free hand when Ren went to speak. "Ren-san, please. The Shinigami will search for whoever dealt with the Hollow, and if they find me…" He twitched away from Ren's piercing stare, words trailing off as he ran out of energy to defend his decision. "I can't stay," he finished in a whisper.

(He wanted to. Even if it meant hiding for the rest of his life.)

(He wanted this. Stability and people who cared and a community to care for.)

Ren frowned and gentled their tone, "Rerugen-san, you barely made it home. The Shinigami will not investigate immediately, even if the Hollow's death managed to catch their attention. Take some time to rest and recover, _please_." They took Erich's hands in their own and gave him a pleading look. "Please, Rerugen-san. I worry. _We_ worry. If you must run from us, will you at least be courteous enough to not try to leave while you can barely stand?"

(Home.)

(Ren said he barely made it _home_ —)

(He. No, he couldn't think that way. He refused to think that way.)

(He couldn't afford to have a home…)

Relief flushed through him as Mami came back carrying a plate and a bowl, providing a distraction from Ren's words. He had no answer for them and no easy way to deflect their — dangerously tempting — suggestion.

He couldn't stay. Couldn't remain in one place.

He'd tipped his hand too close to the Reaper's stronghold and soon they would come to investigate. His ruse wouldn't hold up under scrutiny. He couldn't afford to be lax.

(He would never forgive himself if he was the cause of Ren and Mami's deaths.)

"Eat what you can, Rerugen-san," Mami told him as she set a plate of onigiri and a bowl of segmented fruit in front of him. "However much you need to eat, do so." She narrowed her eyes at him, attention on what she could see through the rips in his shirt. "I'm certain it's more than what you've been allowing yourself to eat at our table."

"I-it's fine, Mami-san, Ren-san," Erich attempted to reassure them. "I eat en—I eat what I need to get by," he corrected himself when Mami fixed him with a disbelieving look. "I'll be fine by evening, trust me." He felt helpless in the face of their concern, like every word out of his mouth was only doing more harm. It wasn't a situation he was accustomed to. "I never ate that much when I was alive, either."

But he had eaten, even if he rarely felt like it during the war. A body needed fuel, he knew that, but at least in the Living World it hadn't come with the automatic stigma of _power_ and the danger that power drew to the owner and those around them.

"Our home is _private_ , Rerugen-san." Ren released his hands and nudged the plate of onigiri a fraction closer to him. "No one will see you eat or how _much_ you do. Just… please. Do us this last courtesy if you remain insistent on fleeing? Eat your fill just this once."

He bit back a wince at Ren's phrasing. A tiny, emotional fragment of his mind wanted to shout at them, to ask if they really thought he _wanted_ to escape everything they continued to offer him. But logic kept his mouth shut and the words trapped within.

It wasn't their fault they were unknowingly housing a Quincy instead of a human. It wasn't their choice to court the danger that being in his presence invited. He'd stripped that choice from them by his own actions.

(They might not even know what a Quincy _was_.)

(He needed to leave before he brought death to their doorstep.)

"I don't know how much I _can_ eat," Erich murmured in lieu of an answer, focusing on the food in front of him. Even just a little would help settle his body, he knew, and he was no stranger to eating despite not feeling hunger. At least this time his stomach wasn't acting up.

"However much you can," Ren insisted. "Mami's already made it and brought it out for you. Will you at least eat some of it?"

There was no arguing against that, Erich supposed. He doubted he could eat enough to satisfy Ren or Mami — he'd not eaten more than necessary for years and that left a mark — but he could manage some. Especially when it was just onigiri and sliced fruit, both easy, simple foods to eat despite his trembling hands.

Mami beamed at him as he picked up an onigiri and began to eat, then kindly focused her attention on Ren and started up an idle conversation. Their conversation drifted from topic to topic, keeping the silence at bay and filling the room with a sense of _normality_ that put him at ease despite his fears.

Erich let the conversation wash over him as he ate, still leaning into Ren's warmth. Normally he would pull away, put a more professional distance between the two of them, but he was so _tired_. Tired enough that he couldn't resist both the warmth and the sensation of _kindness-contentment-peace_ that radiated through Ren's spiritual power.

(So different from the previous hard knot of fear and terror that lingered while the Hollow hunted.)

(And _he_ made that warmth possible.)

Ren adjusted their posture for his comfort, giving him a soft, _warm_ smile as they did.

Erich swallowed and focused on his food. Focused on anything but his growing desire to set roots and _stay_.

(He needed to leave before he gave in and brought the Reaper's wrath down on everyone here.)

The more he ate, the more exhaustion dragged at his mind until it was all he could do to remain upright and aware. He pushed the nearly empty plate away and slumped against Ren's side, taking off his glasses and dropping them on the table.

"Rerugen-san, will you let Mami and I see where the Hollow struck?" Ren asked softly.

Erich sighed and gathered the will to straighten up. "It didn't wound me," he reminded them, even as he fumbled at the buttons of his shirt. He _knew_ he hadn't taken a wound, but showing them would be faster than trying to argue it.

Mami came to kneel at his side as he stripped out of his shirt and slumped back against Ren with a yawn. She examined the tears in his shirt then skimmed her warm-warm hand against his side. "Tell me if anything hurts," she said while pressing at his ribs. "I'm not feeling anything wrong, but I'd rather be thorough."

"No. Nothing hurts." He kept his body still, ignoring the growing urge to twitch away from her touch.

(Her kindness — _their_ kindness — burned as much as it warmed.)

(He didn't deserve it.)

"I'm glad." Mami smiled and sat back on her heels, gathering up his shirt and giving it a thoughtful look. "This it's salvageable, love?"

"Probably." Ren wrapped an arm around Erich's chest and pulled him down, nudging his body until he had stretched out and settled his head in their lap. "The tears look clean enough that I can simply stitch it back together. Would you like me to fix it, Rerugen-san?"

"Doesn't matter," Erich murmured, giving in to the offered comfort and letting his eyes close. Ren's hand ghosted over his hair, fingertips barely shifting strands of it about with every stroke.

(He shouldn't be allowing this. Shouldn't be so _accepting_.)

(He couldn't afford attachments no matter how much part of him craved them.)

A blanket settled over him and Ren's hand lifted from his head, tucking it more firmly around his body. Their hand settled back on his head once they were satisfied with the blanket's placement. "Then I will mend it while you sleep."

"I'm—"

"Not in the way." Ren tugged lightly on a lock of his hair, making him grumble in protest. "I've worked around Mami in more awkward positions before. You are fine." They paused, hand stilling on his head, and asked, "Unless this makes you uncomfortable, Rerugen-san?"

That would be an easy way out of his current position, Erich knew. The moment he expressed actual discomfort, Ren would help him up and let him settle elsewhere.

It was what he should do. Should say.

"It's fine," his mouth said before he could censor himself.

Ren hummed and fell silent, not questioning him any further.

The rhythmic motion of their hand over Erich's hair lulled him asleep before Mami had a chance to return with Ren's supplies.

\\\\\

He slept most of the day, waking up for brief intervals before falling back asleep all over again. And every time he woke, Mami set another plate of food in front of him and lit up with every bite he managed to eat. He hadn't eaten so much, or so _well_ , since he'd died and begun to drift between villages; it was all he could do to eat a few bites sometimes, but even that seemed to please Mami to no end.

Erich scanned the nearby spiritual signatures every time he woke, searching for any sign of approaching Reapers. But it seemed like Ren was right: either the Reapers didn't care what had happened or there was something causing them to have neither time nor resources to spend investigating.

(Had he hidden his nature well enough that they thought it just a regular soul?)

( _Could_ they not detect mana use?)

He toyed with the idea that evening, as he nibbled on some fruit and watched Ren sew panels of fabric together. The idea that Seireitei would be ignorant of mana and how to detect it felt ludicrous, but the other option — simply not _caring_ that a mage had announced their presence — felt even more ludicrous. Mages were dangerous game-changers, capable of inhuman feats that had once been labeled _miracles_. Their powers let them survive what others could not, all while bringing death and destruction in their wake.

Tanya von Degurechaff and her battalion had turned the tide of war in the Empire's favor time and time again, and enemy mages had done the same in return. Ignoring signs of an active mage in an area was dangerously short-sighted in Erich's opinion.

But he sensed nothing. Not the slightest hint of Reaper or anyone else showing interest in what had occurred the previous night.

Erich drummed his fingers against his leg and went over what little information he had. Now that he wasn't exhausted and starving, it was easier to see the truth behind Ren's words. The Reaper stronghold wasn't so close as to be an immediate threat, and their willingness to let a Hollow continue to roam unchecked spoke volumes by itself. He still needed to leave, but… perhaps he didn't need to remain away forever.

There was a possibility that assassins would be deployed, like the stories his grandmother had told when he was young, but his continued survival meant they either hadn't been deployed or hadn't yet arrived.

He wasn't certain which he preferred to be true.

(He'd need to keep his wits about him. Keep his nature under wraps more than before.)

(If he wanted to keep this, he could not tempt fate more than he'd done so far.)

Mami lit the lanterns about the room and settled back at the table. "Anything more to eat?"

Erich shook his head. "No thank you. I doubt I can eat much more right now without feeling sick."

She hummed and gave him a thoughtful look. "Let me know if you start to feel hungry again, yes?"

"I… will. Yes."

"See that you do," Ren spoke up, setting aside their work and stretching. They yawned and rolled their shoulders, rubbing at their neck and stretching after staying in a similar position for most of a day. "Than you, Rerugen-san." Erich's puzzled look made Ren's eyes narrow, but their tone remained kind as they continued, "For allowing us to care for you. For not leaving while you were in such bad condition."

Erich bit the inside of his lip and looked away, shame eating at his insides. He'd never meant to cause them both such trouble and worry.

(Never meant to get so attached.)

Ren's hand closed over his in silent reassurance before they let go and rose to their feet. They began to gather the scattered piles of fabric along with their sewing supplies, tidying the room with Mami's help. The two worked around each other without words, preparing the room for the next day like they did every evening.

Watching them work together only made the longing for a _home_ worse.

He tipped his head forward and closed his eyes, one hand rising up to touch the computation orb that rested against his chest. Running his fingers over the smooth surface of the orb helped center his thoughts. He needed to stop reacting and start planning. He _knew_ this. Everything he had ever learned during the war and from his position as a Clan Head reinforced that knowledge.

Acting purely on emotion led to failure and defeat, and — now that his body wasn't on the verge of collapse and running only on adrenaline — he could _see_ the flaws in his earlier thought patterns.

(But he could not _ignore_ his emotions or the emotions of those around him.)

(He'd learned _that_ lesson during the war as well.)

So. The facts as he knew them…

The Reapers had shown little interest in handling the Hollow so close to their doorstep. He had revealed that a soul capable of defeating Hollows either lived near or was passing through the district, but he'd defeated it in a way that purified rather than destroyed it. He had used mana in the process, but the traces should dissipate by tomorrow morning, leaving only his jumbled spiritual signature behind.

So, if he tried to consider things _logically_ …

With no trace of Quincy about the kill, he doubted the Reapers would have much interest in it. He'd seen Reaper-prospects killing Hollows in the outer districts and never seen a response before. Everyone just understood that those with a certain level of power would drift towards Seireitei to become a Reaper.

(Or that they would die before they could.)

(Life was not kind to those with powers.)

The lack of response to his use of mana was troubling and flew in the face of his war-born instincts, but made sense if he set his instincts aside. The type of magecraft he practiced was a modern invention barely older than himeslf; before that revolution, magecraft was considered a thing of myths and miracles, and with how out of touch Reapers tended to be…

It was probably that they had little to no knowledge of how humanity had weaponized mana usage. Or if they did, perhaps they had labeled it as a curiosity or a strange usage of the limited spiritual power every living soul contained. Living mages as a whole couldn't see into the spiritual world either, which meant they had difficult affecting it unless specifically taught how to. Many formulae needed small tweaks in order to affect spiritual beings, and without those…

Without those, maybe Reapers had labeled magecraft _harmless._

(The idea was so ludicrous and yet so _believable_ …)

Erich breathed out and pressed his computation orb harder into his chest, the warm metal digging into his skin and helping him drag his thoughts away from pointless speculation. Whichever way he looked at it, his situation wasn't as desperate as his mind had painted it earlier in the day.

"I still need to leave," Erich spoke his thoughts aloud, letting his hand drop back to his lap. He opened his eyes and tipped his head up to meet Ren's resigned gaze. "For a short time. I need… information." He needed to know what sort of response, if any, the Reapers had to his actions. He needed intelligence. Needed to know… far too many things than what he could discover by remaining and laying low.

Understanding lit in Ren's eyes and their expression smoothed out. "If that's what you need to become comfortable here. Our home will always be open to you, Rerugen-san."

"And we'll always be here!" Mami added.

Tension bled from his body at both of their words. "Thank you, Ren-san, Mami-san. I… thank you." He flattened his palms against his thighs and took a moment to resettle his emotions, trying to find words. "This is… more than I expected. Thank you."

Mami smiled, her expression warm. "Everyone deserves a home."

(A home…)

(Maybe he _could_ have one…)

"Give me… two months. Three on the outside." Erich ran what he knew of the Reapers through his mind, then nodded. "I need more information than I have, and I'm only going to get that if I start looking."

"We will give you as much time as you need," Mami reassured him.

"Thank you," he couldn't resist repeating, inclining his head. "I will leave in the morning, and endeavor to return before three months have passed." He'd need to be careful and thorough in his information gathering. Settling down was probably a mistake, but…

He was tired of wandering alone and rootless. The promise of a _home_ _…_

He'd do anything for that.


	4. Chapter 4

Erich stood just outside the door and stared at the slowly lightening sky, hands clasped behind his back and bag resting at his feet. In the house behind him, Ren and Mami were shuffling through their morning routine, signatures soft with the edges of sleep. He needed to leave—

(The sooner he left, the sooner he could return.)

—but he wasn't going to do that to them. Not again.

(He could wait until they were awake and ready to say goodbye.)

"For you," Mami murmured, stepping out the door and coming to stand at his side, offering up a drawstring bag. When he took it and opened it enough to peer inside, Mami continued, "I want you to promise me that you'll try to eat more than you have been."

The bag was full of journey food, more than enough to see him fed for a week. And if he continued his habit of hunting in the wild spaces between villages and trading for food while in villages, her gift would last even longer and allow him to rebuild some of his reserves.

Erich closed the bag without a word and knelt to tuck it into his own bag. She waited patiently, presence soft and warm and so unbearably _kind_ that he ended up fidgeting with his supplies, at a loss for words.

(He'd known how to answer kindness once. Know how to _accept_ it, too.)

(Decades alone had made him unforgivably rusty and rude.)

Ren emerged from the house and Erich stood to nod at them. They arched an eyebrow and looked between Mami and Erich in consideration. "Everything all right?" they asked.

"Yes," Erich answered, clasping his hands behind his back once more to keep them steady.

"Rerugen-san's just promising to take better care of himself," Mami added with a tiny smile.

Erich inclined his head and didn't bother protesting. He needed to be in better shape if he wanted to protect them, so it only made sense to do his best to improve his body and bring his reserves closer to full. There was no reason to continue to operate on the edge of survival, not when he was skilled enough to hide his signature even will full reserves.

(Not if he wanted to be useful to Ren and Mami.)

"Thank you," Ren said, then offered him the folded cloth they had in their hands. "Here. For you to remember us by and to encourage you to return."

Erich accepted the cloth and let it unfold, revealing a thigh length, patchwork haori. He draped the haori over one arm and ran his fingers over the neat stitches joining the patches and the intricate embroidery covering most of it. Traces of both Ren's and Mami's spiritual presence permeated the fabrics; the haori had clearly been made of well-worn and well- _loved_ clothing, to carry traces of both of them. "Ren-san… this is…"

"You're part of our family," Ren told him, crossing their arms over their chest and fixing him with a look. "And you have no heavier clothing in that bag of yours. Take it. The nights are going to start getting colder before you return to us and I would prefer to know you have at least something to protect you."

Arguing was pointless, Erich realized with a start. Ren had made up their mind and so had Mami. He'd just be wasting his breath if he attempted to sway either of them.

"Thank you," he murmured, folding the gift up and kneeling to tuck it away in his bag atop his other clothing. "I should… get moving." Erich cast a glance at the lightening horizon and reluctantly rose to his feet, bag in hand.

"Be safe, Rerugen-san," Mami told him, tone sad. "We will miss you."

Ren nodded sharply. "You will _always_ be welcome in our home," they said, "No matter how long it's been."

"I will keep that in mind." Not that he had any intention of staying away longer than he'd promised. He would need to continue to gather intelligence even beyond this trip, but… what he planned should be enough to start. And if it turned out that the Reapers had as little interest or care for the souls right outside their gates as he was beginning to suspect, then he just needed to be careful not to reveal himself as a Quincy.

(All those decades of fear, of moving without pause. Had he wasted his time?)

(No. No, he refused to believe that. He'd made mistakes in those early years. Revealed his nature and fumbled his skills. Moving had likely kept him alive long enough to _find_ this potential home.)

(Reapers never looked kindly upon Quincy.)

With a final glance at Ren and Mami, he slung his bag over his shoulders and set out. He had information to gather and an intelligence network to set up, and the sooner he started the sooner he could return.

* * *

Erich didn't wander or linger in the wilds the way he used to. He set out through the forest and honed in on the next-closest village, stopping only to hunt and cook himself a meal. There were places he needed to be and no time to spend in aimless motion.

The next village was hurting and wary, damaged by the Hollow Erich had killed and closing ranks because of it. Beyond angry words and fury at the Reapers, the village had nothing for him or any traveler, especially when 'traveler' tended to mean 'person aiming to become a Reaper'.

His collection of trade-goods earned him some minor good-will and some newer items to trade later, but nothing to further his goal. Rather than stay and suffer the mistrust of the villagers, Erich left before nightfall rather than attempt to gain lodgings.

(He'd win their trust later. Set himself as a semi-nomadic trader and create contacts in the village.)

(But not now. Not while they were hurting and furious and looking for anyone to blame.)

It continued like that as he moved ever closer to Seireitei, keeping his ears open for anything of value. But everything he heard only confirmed his initial impression: the Reapers were an isolated bunch who kept to themselves and ignored the plight of those outside their doors.

Days turned into weeks and Erich focused on his purpose, on building the first tentative bonds of an information network stretching entire districts.

(He planned for the long term. For making connections he would need to upkeep.)

(For setting down roots and making himself a _home_.)

Merchants were the easiest to form connections with, given his cover as a wandering trader. Better yet, they heard and tracked a lot more than most people realized; he just needed to set himself up as _one of them_ to get looped in on the same bits and pieces of information without much prompting.

Short term, however, what he was hearing out of general gossip was encouraging. There was no mention of the Hollow or its subsequent death, much less any unusual Reaper movement caught by the local souls.

And none of that changed as he worked his way closer to the Reaper stronghold. Personal knowledge of specific Reapers meant that there were exceptions to the general antipathy, but as a whole… no one seemed to appreciate them.

(He didn't blame them. The houses and streets were certainly nicer, and the merchants and residents better off, but…)

(In the grand scheme of things, they were still powerless in the face of the Reapers and everyone knew it.)

Erich did his best to blend in, keeping his head down and his supposed purpose clear; he was just a wandering trader recently arrived from districts further out, in awe of the Reaper stronghold _just down the street._

He learned. Of the Reapers, of their stronghold, of the hidden wall that separated the powerless from the powerful.

(He hated every moment, skin crawling at the proximity and disgust rising with every fragment of knowledge gained.)

(Useless, pretentious bastards…)

And then, in the middle of trading, everything _changed_.

He felt it first, a surge of power originating somewhere above his head. It was unlike anything he'd ever sensed before and part of him _itched_ to investigate, to deconstruct it until he _understood_ —

A door opened in the sky.

People — _young people_ — tumbled through, sprawling across a golden platform that appeared beneath them.

"That's going to be trouble," someone near Erich muttered.

Others murmured their agreement and began to filter away, abandoning the street and the newcomers before they could reach the ground. The merchant Erich had been bartering with hustled them both inside a nearby home, then joined a group of strangers peering out the window to watch the newcomers.

(There was a Quincy out there. He could _feel_ the boy, young and powerful and bold, standing next to… a Reaper?)

(He had to be mistaken.)

"Bets?" someone asked.

"On?" Erich asked as he eased his way closer to the window. The teens were standing in the street and looking around, but didn't seem to have a solid goal.

"How long they'll last against the gate guard," the person responded, leaning in and pointing down the street. "There's a gate just down there when the walls come down. No one gets past the guard."

"I see."

The buzz of bets and counter-bets rose around him, and Erich absently tossed out a bet or two of his own just to keep from standing out too much. He leaned against the wall next to the window and observed the group and their actions, trying to get a read on the teens.

The district residents believed the teens were an invasion force of some kind, and the presence of a Quincy did lend credence to that, but Erich had the suspicion it wasn't _quite_ so simple.

(Or was it? Was this one of _those_ Quincy, obsessed with revenge for the genocide generations ago? Had he subverted a young Reaper with honeyed words and promises?)

(He wanted nothing to do with them if so. Fixations like that were neither rational nor led to healthy outcomes for anyone.)

(There was a reason he had gracefully retired and retreated into obscurity after the Great War, then took his clan and fled across the world when the Empire began to writhe like a rabid beast years after their defeat.)

The teen who felt like a Reaper turned and marched down the street towards the hidden gate, the other three trailing in his wake.

Erich twitched at the way the wall _crashed_ into place, with a _literal giant_ standing guard. All the stories he'd heard couldn't prepare him for the reality of the situation; he could certainly understand why no invaders made it past the gate if _this_ was what they faced.

"Impressive, isn't it?" the merchant he'd been bartering with asked. "Jidanbō-san is a good man, but they're not going to get past him."

Watching the potential Reaper approach Jidanbō, Erich wasn't so certain. The boy had power to burn and a familiar determination and refusal to give up that Erich recognized. Nor did the other teens look worried when Jidanbō challenged them, not even when the young Reaper stepped forward to fight alone.

The fight was a quick one, over in a few seconds and ending with the young Reaper shattering Jidanbō's weapons to claim the victory.

(The boy was too kind. He would be eaten alive by the Reapers beyond the gate.)

Jidanbō repaid that kindness in turn, lifting up the great gate and opening the way—

—only for a group of Reapers to be standing beyond it. Only for one of them to smile. To strike.

" _Bastard!_ " an older soul snarled.

Blood splattered across the ground. Jidanbō flinched. Turned. Held up the door with his remaining arm…

Erich grit his teeth, hand closing uselessly over empty air as Jidanbō refused to back down despite losing an arm. But instead of advancing, the young Reaper stepped in, defending Jidanbō from the Reapers beyond the gate.

The souls around him murmured in surprise and exchanged startled looks, taken aback by the young Reaper's actions. Not that Erich could blame them, with the way the young Reaper's actions contradicted everything that he knew of Reapers in general.

(So maybe the Quincy was not driven by revenge?)

(Or maybe the young Reaper _wasn_ _'t_ a Reaper.)

(Or maybe both.)

The teens and Jidanbō were knocked away by the Reaper beyond the gate and the gate slammed closed in their faces. Like an invisible signal was flipped, the residents around him filtered out of the house and into the street, curiosity and interest mingling with their wariness.

Erich followed in their wake, gaze sharp as he took in the four teens and their feline companion. He stayed towards the back, alert for more Reapers to appear to handle the invaders. The group was small, but surely the Reapers weren't _quite_ so arrogant as to ignore them.

"U-uhm, can you help me, please?" the young woman asked the gathered souls, then gestured towards Jidanbō and his severed arm. "I-if you could help me align his arm, I… I think I can heal him."

He frowned at her words but stepped forward along with several other souls to assist in dragging Jidanbō's arm back in place. Just because he didn't know any spells or Quincy skills that would allow someone to heal a severed arm didn't mean that it was impossible. And even if she couldn't, she was attempting to be kind in the face of their suspicion.

Once Jidanbō's arm was in place, the young woman crouched by his shoulder and held out her hands. Tiny fairies darted out of her hairpins and hovered around the wound, a golden barrier forming between them.

It felt like nothing he had ever sensed before, neither magecraft nor akin to the skills of Quincy or Reapers. He couldn't determine _how_ it worked either, no matter how much he analyzed the feel of her technique. Had the Living World developed an entirely new type of power manipulation after his death? Had they discovered spiritual powers on their own and begun to weaponize it like they had magecraft?

(Had there been a third world war, this time reliant on powers of the soul to create advantages?)

(Oh, he prayed it wasn't so…)

"She's beautiful, isn't she?"

"And so kind!"

"Look at that power she has!"

Erich shunted aside his spiraling thoughts and turned his attention outward, sending a dark look at the group of souls. When that did nothing but make the souls shuffle back a bit and resume whispering, Erich straightened his posture and took a threatening step forward.

 _That_ sent them all scurrying away, to his relief. He hadn't wanted to get into an actual fight but… the young woman's powers felt unbearably _young_ to him and the commentary turned his stomach. It was true that souls didn't age the way the Living did, but that was no excuse to be crude.

(There was never an excuse to be crude.)

Satisfied that her audience had been handled, Erich settled against a nearby wall and crossed his arms over his chest. He would keep watch over her for however long it took her to heal Jidanbō, seeing as her companions were scattered and distracted. No one deserved to face those sort of comments on their own.

His actions had not gone unnoticed; more than one soul was giving him approving looks that boded well for his connections here, and both the Quincy and the maybe-Reaper were eyeing him thoughtfully. It didn't take long for the maybe-Reaper to escape the person speaking with him and approach Erich.

"Hey, thanks for that," the young man said with a nod.

Erich shrugged. "Their attention offended me." He looked from the young man to the damaged gate down the street and then to where Jidanbō lay, arm slowly healing under the young woman's powers. "You had a chance to break in and instead saved his life."

"Yoruichi knows another way we can get in," the young man said, leaning back against the wall not far from Erich. "I refuse to let someone die like that."

"Sometimes you have no choice. What if there was no other way in, what of your goal then?"

"Then I'd make a way in."

Erich cast another glance at the damaged gate and conceded the point. The young maybe-Reaper had power in spades, albeit poorly controlled or directed at present. Time and training would turn him into a terrifying combatant, capable of world-changing feats the likes of which were only seen once or twice a generation.

(He wondered if the boy would live long enough to see that potential through.)

He shouldn't get involved.

He had other places to be, other promises to keep. Whatever this strange 'invasion' was about, it had nothing to do with him no matter how young the four invaders felt to his senses.

(Youths had no place in live combat…)

( _Untrained youths_ even less.)

"Why have you come?" Erich asked, prepared to listen to any number of reasons or excuses.

"A Shinigami saved my life and gave me the power to protect my family," the young man answered without hesitation, scowling over at the closed gate. "And now she's in trouble because of it. I'm not going to let them execute her for what she did for me and the others."

"Just the four of you?" A rescue mission. A unit of four unblooded teens and their cat against the might of the Shinigami to _rescue another Reaper._ Only long experience let Erich keep his expression neutral, his stomach churning with unease and mind buzzing with plans and realities.

(He shouldn't get involved. He _wouldn_ _'t_ get involved.)

(Getting involved was an irrational decision at its core, even worse than the decision to invade with such a small force and no backup or extraction.)

"Yeah. I didn't want the others to come but they insisted, so…"

"You're better off with aid." Erich gave the boy a sidelong look, wondering how much he would listen to an apparently powerless stranger. "The Shinigami are not to be underestimated."

The young man shrugged, expression turning determined. "We'll manage. I'm not going to let them win."

'But they will,' Erich wanted to protest. Small unit tactics were useful, but the Reapers _knew_ about them now and almost certainly knew the group's goal. They had no backup, no support, no extraction plan…

It was a suicide mission in all but name. Nothing but a _useless waste of life._

And one of his kinsmen was tangled up in it as well.

(His fingers twitched. Closed into a useless fist.)

"I wish you luck," Erich murmured instead, looking away. Shame ate at his mind, but there was nothing he could do. One more man was nothing in the face of the Reaper's might.

He wouldn't be of use to them.

"Thanks," the young man said while pushing away from the wall and moving away. "You too."

Erich watched him go with a heavy heart.

(What a senseless waste of life.)


End file.
